Twin Atlantic Tour Diary: Glasgow Part Deux

Part two of our gig weekend in Glasgow, and a very exciting one as we were returning to King Tut’s - the scene of my conception and also birth many years ago. I know the venue didn’t exist back then, but my parents knew that it would one day be a premier music club, and intuitively knew that I would one day play there. Many years later it was the scene of the first proper gig I went to, watching OkGo fumble through a set. But Mew were supporting so that made it all better, and my Graphic Design teacher was there and he promised not to tell security I wasn’t 18 if I promised not to tell the school he was drinking on a school night. We was tight after that.



We’ve now played the venue about 10 times, and it was the scene of our first ever sold out headline gig back in September 2008. We’d been asked back to headline one of DF Concert’s 20th Anniversary shows and we jumped at the chance. Literally, we all did one big jump from our houses right through the roof of Tut’s into the venue. I don’t know how we managed it, I blacked out then I woke up on the stage.



Speaking of the stage, it had been re-carpeted that morning - and now had a very soft royal blue covering. Coupled with my old lady pattern drum carpet, it did definitely feel like we were setting up in my Gran’s living room. Which would have also been nice, even though my Gran think’s I play in The Proclaimers. FACT. There’s so much to love about Tut’s, especially the stage crew who like to make fun of Paul’s arse. For those of you who don’t know, Mr. Paul Hepburn is our long suffering sound engineer and recently our tour manager - he also holds the record for the most nicknames for one person in the world. Some examples are Peeshbags, Breach of the Peesh, SpongePeesh HepPants, Hepatitis P and soooooo many more. He was also an engineer at Tut’s until we stole him away. So it probably meant more to him to be back than us.



This was Paul’s patch, and he knows this room inside out. And he still does, I had the best stage sound I think i’ve ever had - an absolute joy to even touch a drum through. After soundcheck some famous Tut’s catering (which is still about the only venue in the UK of this size that offers you that kind of thing) before resting before showtime. Canterbury were of course on the show, as well as a band i’ve only recently found about from Glasgow called The LaFontaines. They need to be seen live, I saw them at the end of last year and the blew me away. So exciting to watch. And they’re all very nice too, which always helps.



The show was great, took a while to get going as it was a Sunday night but by the end it was turning into a slight riot. Sam managed to pull off the best towel throw this side of the towel olympics, dislodging his guitar which was hanging from a cable at the end of a set. He also tried to hit me with a towel too, but missed. Nobody can hit me with a towel, my mind is too strong.



There was an after party somewhere but I did have that one shot the previous night so I was still wrecked and we had to drive in the van a length of time the following day. So I went home and watched The Who play the Superbowl halftime show and bring the house down, even though they may or may not have a pedophile in their ranks. But a pedophile with great guitar moves. And on that bombshell, I fell asleep.